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Post by larrynz on Mar 28, 2007 18:54:00 GMT -5
Scientists have developed the first non-drug therapy for asthma in the biggest advance in treatment of the condition for a decade.
Researchers who treated patients with moderate to severe asthma by inserting a probe into their lungs and "burning" the muscle tissue found it cut their asthma attacks by a half.
No drug treatment developed in the past 10 years has achieved an equivalent improvement.
The scientists described the results as "very encouraging" and said the treatment offered a "new option" for patients whose condition was poorly controlled by drugs.
More than five million patients in Britain suffer from asthma and around 70,000 are admitted to hospital each year with life-threatening attacks.
If proved in further studies, the new treatment, called bronchial thermoplasty, could help reduce the 1000 deaths from asthma a year.
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Post by morningstar on Mar 28, 2007 18:59:45 GMT -5
Larry,
Please keep us posted on this. I find it very interesting to think this has helped so much. And I would think they would be doing some research on the COPD part of this also.
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Post by Blossom/Jackie W. on Mar 29, 2007 11:44:03 GMT -5
Hey Larry - long time no chat I think B Brooks also posted this yesterday or today. Apparently it was on the TV Wed. pm. The question is I guess; has anymore heard if it can, or might, ultimately help COPDer's even if we don't have an asthma component since it does sound so dang promising? I regret I've had little time for my daily "research" the past week. So if anyone's read anything.... Jackie NS
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Post by larrynz on Mar 29, 2007 18:20:48 GMT -5
Time will tell but if it helps obstruction with asthma I would think it would help the obstructive part of COPD?
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Post by the bear on Mar 29, 2007 21:13:34 GMT -5
Hi all; On my things to do tomorrow I will write to our provincial and federal health ministers to find out more about this procedure and if any research is being done into its use for COPD. In drafting up copies OI will send to top guns Steve and Dalton, as if they do not have enough on their plates. What with RCMPgate and Lottogate you got to keep 'em on the ball.
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Post by Blossom/Jackie W. on Mar 30, 2007 6:30:07 GMT -5
Good for you Barry.....please keep us posted.
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